1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to conductive coating compositions for preparing antistatic layers and to photographic elements containing such antistatic layers. More particularly, the invention relates to conductive coating compositions employing vanadium pentoxide, V.sub.2 O.sub.5, having an increased solution stability, coatability, short drying times and a transparent uniform appearance.
2. Description of Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,203,769 issued May 20, 1980 relates to antistatic layers prepared by coating vanadium pentoxide with an acetone/methanol aqueous coating vehicle utilizing cellulose acetate as a binder. Following the teaching of this patent, vanadium pentoxide antistatic layers have been used to protect films against static charge buildup for a number of years. A problem that exists with regard to the coating compositions containing vanadium pentoxide is that the vanadium pentoxide is precipitated by ionic materials, thus limiting the selection of the binder for the antistatic layer. While cellulose triacetate generally has satisfactory performance with respect to the binder employed in vanadium pentoxide antistatic layers, the coating compositions have a very low solution stability and therefore must be prepared and used substantially immediately in order to achieve satisfactory antistatic layers. When these coating compositions are not utilized immediately, the vanadium pentoxide precipitates and cannot be coated.
Therefore, there is a need for a coating composition for use in applying vanadium pentoxide antistatic layers that has an ample stability for a minimum of 24 hours.